On February 10, 2016 Chieko Phillips joined BlackPast as its first Executive Director. She comes to the organization with an MA in Museology (Museum Studies) from the University of Washington and B.A in history from Davidson College.

Phillips has dedicated her time in Seattle, Washington to elevating lesser-known historical narratives in informal learning environments. In 2010 she joined the exhibitions team at the Northwest African American Museum (NAAM) where she spent five years creating spaces for public reflection on topics such as artistic interpretation of the Transatlantic Slave Trade, social impact of black baseball in Washington, and significant contributions of black workers to the Manhattan Project.

Phillips is an active member of the Association of African American Museums, where she keeps her finger on the national pulse of cultural organizations dedicated to preserving African American history and culture. On the home front she immerses herself in the larger arts and culture scene; she sits on the Heritage Advisory Committee for 4Culture, a King County, Washington funding agency, and is the public programs curator at Photographic Center Northwest, a photography school and gallery in Seattle.